In the 2014 movie "Chef," a famous fine-dining chef follows his bliss by launching a food truck that specializes in cubanos, the unofficial sandwich of Cuban culture.

Tony Hernandez's culinary dream is happening in semi-reverse of that scenario: After about a year of operating a Cuban food booth at farmers markets in Simi Valley, Thousand Oaks and Northridge, Hernandez this month opened a bricks-and-mortar version, Cienfuegos Cuban Cafe, in a Simi Valley shopping center.

"I love cooking. It has given me a clean canvas to offer the experience of trying dishes from my family," said Hernandez, a former photo producer for film and TV studios.

His parents fled Cuba after Fidel Castro came to power in 1959. His late father, Rasciel "Chelo" Hernandez, went on to open the now-shuttered Cuban restaurant Chelo's in Inglewood.

Named for a city in Cuba, Cienfuegos is located at what previously was Smokin' Steve's BBQ Joint (now known as Smokin' Steve's Pit Barbecue Catering in Moorpark) in a center that includes a Vallarta Supermarket and the restaurants Szechuan Garden and Tomodachi Sushi. The cafe is in soft-opening mode, a distinction that means the staff is in training and not everything on the printed menu is available at all times, Hernandez said.

But most of it is, as was the case during a recent lunch service that included El Cubano ($7.50) a sandwich of roasted pork, ham, Swiss cheese, mustard and pickles on Cuban bread that had been lightly toasted on a press. (The Medianoche, at $7.50, is the same sandwich on egg bread.) Side dishes included mariquitas (fried plantain chips with mojo sauce, $3.25), yuca frita (fried cassava with cilantro sauce, $3.25) and maduros (fried sweet plantains, $3.50).

Also available were a chicken noodle soup ($4.50), ensalada de aguacate (avocado with onion, olive oil, vinegar and seasonings, $6) and pastries filled with guava ($3).

Almost everything is made on the premises, Hernandez said. Exceptions include the Cuban bread and croquettes filled with bechamel and ham or chicken, sourced from Porto's Bakery & Cafe of Southern California.

Coffee drinks include the cortadito, an espresso shot with a 75-to-25 ratio of steamed milk ($3.25). The usual soft drinks are available along with a range of old-school Cuban brands that are now made and packaged in Florida ($2-$3). Hernandez describes the latter in Americanized terms.

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Old-school Cuban soda brands that are now made in Florida are among the beverage selections at Cienfuegos Cuban Cafe in Simi Valley.(Photo: LISA MCKINNON/THE STAR)

"That's Cuba's version of a cream soda," he said, pointing to a golden can of Materva yerba mate soda. A bottle of Malta Hatuey — a lightly carbonated "beer" brewed from barley and hops — is "like if Guinness had a non-alcoholic soft drink."

With the restaurant up and running, Hernandez plans to focus his farmers market offerings on baked goods and pre-assembled sandwiches that shoppers can take home and press themselves.

Service at the restaurant is nearly as casual: Patrons call in or order at the counter for takeout or dine-in meals. Seating includes five tables in the dining room and four more just outside the front door tucked between My Playful Puppy and the Simi Valley 10 Cinemas. Cienfuegos is open Tuesdays through Saturdays (1407 E. Los Angeles Ave., Suite X, 805-791-3534, http://www.cienfuegoscubancafe.com).

In Oxnard, the second Aldi grocery store in Ventura County will open at 9 a.m. Aug. 17 in what used to be the Ventura County Job & Career Center in the Crossroads Shopping Center at Ventura Road and Fifth Street. During the grand opening, the first 100 people in line will receive gift cards of varying denominations. Shoppers also will receive reusable bags as supplies last (635 S. Ventura Road).

Based in Germany, Aldi opened its Simi Valley location in June 2016 and plans to open a second Oxnard site at the former Fresh & Easy grocery store in the Rose Ranch shopping center (https://www.aldi.us)

Elsewhere in Oxnard, Saigon Express marked its grand opening last weekend in a downtown space previously occupied by Tacos La Placita. The new, order-at-the-window restaurant is operated by Derick Tran, who previously owned Pho Little Saigon in the Bobilu Center about a mile away (that location is now Pho First Choice, 1201 S. Saviers Road).

Located across from the Carnegie Art Museum, Saigon Express serves boba drinks in tea, juice and smoothie form ($3.49-$4.99). Food ranges from spring rolls (three for $3.99) and spicy tamarind chicken wings (six for $3.99) to popcorn chicken ($4.99) and beef teriyaki ($6.99). Patio seating is available. The stand is open Mondays through Saturdays (437 South C St., 805-758-3657).

In Thousand Oaks, the Mediterranean restaurant Azi Grill will open at 11 a.m. Aug. 16 in the Janss Marketplace food court. The first 100 diners will receive a free menu item. In addition, those who "like" the Azi Grill Facebook page will have a chance to win two airline tickets to fly anywhere in the U.S.

According to a media release from mall operators NewMark Merrill Co., Azi Grill owner Mazen Nadour had shawarma and falafel restaurants in Syria before the war forced his family to seek safety in the U.S. He learned to speak English and to prepare food while working at Santa Cruz Market in midtown Ventura. Azi Grill features recipes passed down through generations of his family (245 N. Moorpark Road, Suite C, 805-370-1470).

Seven years after moving Squashed Grapes to midtown Ventura from Old Town Camarillo (where it originally operated as a DIY beer-and-wine supplies shop), owners of the winery and live-jazz venue are making plans to move again — albeit just a few blocks away this time.

The future home of what will be called The Grape is marked with a white "public notice of application to sell alcoholic beverages" sign taped to the windows at 2733 E. Main St. The space is vacant, save for a pair of church pews and some construction materials.

Squashed Grapes will remain in operation at its current location until the new — and more than twice as large — site is ready sometime early next year, said co-owner Adam Randall (2351 E. Main St., 805-643-7300, http://www.squashedgrapes.com).

Lisa McKinnon is a staff writer for The Star. To contact her, send email to lisa.mckinnon@vcstar.com. Her Cafe Society column appears in the Time Out and Sunday Life sections. For between-column updates, follow 805foodie on Twitter and Instagram and "like" the VCS Eats Facebook page. To have the VCS Eats newsletter delivered directly to your inbox, visit http://bit.ly/VCS_Eats and type in your email address.

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A new supermarket will open on Ventura Road near Fifth Street on Aug. 17.
WENDY LEUNG/THE STAR